Crouch Yacht Club Nutcracker Series - Race 1

Crouch Yacht Club Nutcracker Series race 1 © Russ Cashel

Five boats started in the first race in the Nutcracker Series on Sunday. The wind was light and due to drop, with the flood turning to ebb late morning. The start was exciting, with all boats close to the line approaching the gun. Exile, Paul Trueman's X37 started mid river, with the remainder of the fleet on the South Shore in the chilly Northerly breeze.

Double Trouble, Mantra, Grace and Danger and Glorious Fools were slower on the gun, but Exile had excellent boat speed and got into the lead. Double Trouble was second on the water with Glorious Fools next. Phillip Harbott's Aphrodite 101, Mantra were next with the SJ27 Grace and Danger owned by Stephen Gosling, Roger Noble and Andrew Courts the lowest rated boat close behind.

The boats went up river to Cliff and Canewdon before rounding Number 9 and returning to Number 13 before finishing. The fleet set kites from Cliff to Canewdon, ànd Exile, who didn't set their spinnaker managed to keep their on the water lead. After Canewdon, Glorious Fools had to put in two tacks to make Black Point whereas Exile managed to lay it in one. The boats stayed in rating order throughout the rest of the race. On corrected time, Glorious Fools won with Double Trouble second, and Mantra third.